


There's a side to you that I never knew; all the things you say, they were never true

by Del (goddessdel)



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode: s06e01 The Impossible Astronaut, F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 09:04:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddessdel/pseuds/Del
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor was getting used to turning corners and finding River Song waiting for him with a smirk on her lips and trouble on her heels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's a side to you that I never knew; all the things you say, they were never true

**Author's Note:**

  * For [areyoumarriedriver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/areyoumarriedriver/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARINA!!! <3
> 
> Doctor's POV and missing scene surrounding river and the Doctor's intense scene aboard the TARDIS in TIA.
> 
>  _River:_ You're going to have to trust us this time.  
>  _The Doctor:_ Trust you. Sure. But first of all, Doctor Song, just one thing. Who are you? You're someone from my future—getting that—but who? {silence}. Okay. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill? Hmm? {silence} Now I love a bad girl, me. **But trust you? Seriously?**
> 
> Thanks to Megs for her help!
> 
> Title is from "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele

The Doctor was getting used to turning corners and finding River Song waiting for him with a smirk on her lips and trouble on her heels.

 

He'd even flirted with her, straight off, and she'd rebuked him. Slapped him! And now she was keeping more secrets - which normally he kind of liked - no, tolerated - was used to - was _resigned to_. But now she was keeping secrets with his companions!

 

And she'd slapped him! It really was too much. He was the Doctor. Nobody kept secrets from him - for good reason. Well, she would either tell him what was going on or who she had killed - though he had a terrible suspicion about the answer to both.

 

Him.

 

And Rory and Amy knew. But what would make River Song kill him? And why were Amy and Rory protecting her? He couldn't make them tell him - they looked so heartbroken already - but River...

 

...

 

Later, he found her under the console. He was contrite. Remorseful, even. There was an uncomfortable wriggly feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't meant to say those things, not _really_. Well, technically, he had. He just hadn't expected River to believe him. Hadn't he already proven that he trusted her? The Doctor ran a hand through his hair and ducked his head. "It was me, wasn't it? The good man."

 

River's expression faltered for just a second before her more typical smirk replaced it. "Oh, watch out that ego. You really think you're a good man?" Her voice was teasing, but her words were harder than her slap, the unsaid _after that little display back there_ loud and clear.

 

And he deserved that, after what he'd said. He nodded, his head bobbing up and down as he fought with himself. It came out anyway. "What I can't figure out is why."

 

"I made a promise." River's smile slipped off with a sigh, and she suddenly seemed far too old. "And that's all I can tell you. I'm sorry." She looked genuinely regretful.

 

"I'm sorry too." He was. Repentant. She loved him and he knew how this worked - from her perspective she was losing a bit more of him all the time and here he was, hurting her on purpose because he was scared and she could take it.

 

River moved from the console and toward him, stilling his fidgeting hands in her own. "Oh, my love, you're forgiven - always and completely."

 

He searched her eyes. "How can you say that - if you knew - River, you're right." He looked down again, too ashamed to meet eyes that could read him so well. "I'm not a good man."

 

"No," River agreed, soft, "you're just a man." She gave his hands a brief squeeze and pulled away, all flirtation again. "Though you certainly have the ego of a god."

 

"You like it," and it shot back more flirtatious than the Doctor intended. Stomach still all wriggly and hands all tingly where she'd touched him - and that was new, wasn't it?

 

But it was her eyes. They were older than they should be. Full of the weight of worlds and secrets. The kind of eyes that could see him - wholly and completely. The kind of eyes he saw reflected back when he happened to linger too long at a mirror. There was a reason he focused so on his outfits - so he didn't have to meet his own eyes.

 

While his thoughts ran away with him, River was already winking, her smile soft, as though she knew where his mind was. Maybe she did. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

 

Oh, he wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about her. All the mysteries that didn't quite add up. He took a step closer. "I really would." He was too close. Right in her space, and he could feel her body heat leaping off of her and onto him and all the tingly, wriggly feelings were morphing into something very different indeed - a fire-breathing monster, feeding off the heat between them. Something that made his voice come out low and intense and made her breath catch, for just a moment.

 

She leaned up, almost touching him, her breath fluttering over his lips. "I could always lie." It was quiet, ringing with a jagged edge of truth.

 

It was his chance. His apology. One hand came up tentatively, hovering just short of brushing her cheek, or maybe her hair. One didn't just touch River Song. She was full of possibilities and mysteries and guns, and how was he supposed to decide where to put his hand? But she was looking up at him, eyes wide and open and waiting. "I trust you."

 

And he did trust her. River. Whatever he'd asked of her - because he really wasn't stupid and the implication was clear - River loved him. He shied away from it most days - ran from it, really - but the way she had stood there and let him rail against her - she'd only done that because she loved him.

 

River jerked back, hiding her eyes behind her curls, her fists at her sides. "You shouldn't."

 

Her abrupt step away left the Doctor flailing, hands half in the air for a long moment before he got them back under control. Thankfully, she couldn't see the blush that crawled up his neck. He'd been about to - he didn't know. Well, he did. But she - and they - and... "Now what would be the fun in that?" The reverse of the words she hadn't yet said at the Byzantium.

 

River blinked up at him in confusion. She looked vaguely amused though. The tight, pinched sadness had cleared from around her eyes. With a start, the Doctor realized that that was all he'd wanted - he couldn't stand to see her sad.

 

He bopped her nose and spun away. He blushed and stumbled at the stairs. He was nervous and giddy at the same time. River Song made him feel so many things - made him _feel_.

 

The Doctor paused halfway up the stairs to the console room. He held out his hand for hers.


End file.
